Crested Serpent Eagle is an Indian bird with a scientific name Spilornis cheela is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian states, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considerable variations and some authorities prefer to treat several of its subspecies as completely separate species.
History of Crested Serpent Eagle
In the early era of evolution, there are several species including the Philippine serpent eagle, Andaman serpent eagle and South Nicobar serpent eagle (breeds in Andaman and Nicobar Islands) were treated as subspecies of the Crested Serpent Eagle. All members within the species complex have a large looking head with long feathers on the back of the head giving them a manned and crested appearance.
Structure of Crested Serpent Eagle
The face of Crested Serpent Eagle is bare and yellow joining up with the ceres while the powerful feet are unfeathered and heavily scaled. They fly over the forest canopy on broad wings and tails have wide white and black bars. They call often with a loud, piercing and familiar three or two-note call.
Feedings of Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle often feed on snakes, giving them their name and is placed along with the Circaetus snake-eagles in the subfamily Circaetinae.
Concentration of Crested Serpent Eagle
There are 21 populations that have been named as subspecies of crested serpent eagle found in Asian countries including India. The most widespread subspecies are nominated from along the sub-Himalayan range in India and Nepal, melanotis in Peninsular India, spilogaster of Sri Lanka, burmanicus in most of Indochina, ricketti in northern Vietnam and southern China, malayensis of the Thai-Malay Peninsula and northern Sumatra, pallidus from northern Borneo, richmondi from southern Borneo, bido from Java and Bali, batu from southern Sumatra and Batu, hoya from Taiwan, rutherfordi from Hainan, and palawanensis from Palawan. The remaining subspecies are all restricted to smaller islands: davisoni in the Andamans, minimus (Central Nicobar serpent eagle) from the central Nicobars, perplexus (Ryukyu serpent eagle) from Ryukyu, natunensis (Natuna serpent eagle) from Natuna, abbotti (Simeulue serpent eagle) from Simeulue, sipora (Mentawai serpent eagle) from Mentawai, asturinus (Nias serpent eagle) from Nias, and baweanus (Bawean serpent eagle) of the Bawean.
